How can an election be particle and a wave at the same time?
All masses have the properties of both waves and particles. The more massive the particle is, the harder it is to observe the wavelike properties. The theory that explains this behavior is called quantum mechanics. The mathematics is very hard to understand, but the theory is widely accepted because it agrees with experiment.
Can you explain more of the theory side? with the double slit experiment, photoelectic effect, compton effect, reflection, refraction, stuff like that?
Those are examples of one or the other type of behavior, but none by itself explains how matter behaves both ways.
You need to use quantum field theory, and that is too complicated to explain here. I am not an expert in it, anyway. There are many good books on the subject, at the graduate school level.
alright then, I'll check out some books. Thanks for your help.
The concept of an election being a particle and a wave at the same time is actually a property of subatomic particles, such as electrons, and is based on the principles of quantum mechanics. It is known as wave-particle duality.
To understand this concept, let's start with some background. In classical physics, particles were thought to behave like classical objects, moving in well-defined trajectories like particles. On the other hand, waves were thought to exhibit behaviors such as interference and diffraction, spreading out and exhibiting patterns.
However, when scientists began to study subatomic particles, they discovered that these particles did not behave in the same way as classical objects. Instead, they observed that particles, such as electrons, exhibited properties of both particles and waves.
The wave-particle duality suggests that particles, like electrons, can exhibit wave-like properties, such as diffraction and interference, when they are not being measured or observed. This wave-like behavior is described by a mathematical function called a wavefunction, which can be used to calculate the probabilities of finding the particle in different locations.
However, when a particle is actually measured or observed, it behaves like a classical object, appearing as a discrete particle at a specific location. This behavior is commonly referred to as "wavefunction collapse."
The wave-particle duality is not limited to electrons, but applies to other subatomic particles as well. It is a fundamental aspect of quantum mechanics and has been supported by a multitude of experiments.
To summarize, the wave-particle duality is a fundamental concept in quantum mechanics, suggesting that subatomic particles, such as electrons, can exhibit properties of both particles and waves, depending on whether they are being observed or measured. This dual nature is described by a wavefunction, which predicts the behavior and probabilities associated with the particle.